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Canadian Rangers

Graphic : Jean-Claude Charbonneau

Who we are

The Canadian Rangers are a part of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) Reserves working in remote regions. They provide lightly-equipped, self-sufficient mobile forces to support CAF national security and public safety operations within Canada. They regularly train alongside other CAF members to remain prepared.

Their motto is ‘Vigilans,’ meaning ‘The Watchers.’

Some of the ways they protect Canada include:

Conducting patrols;

Reporting unusual activities or sightings;

Collecting local data for the CAF;

Performing sovereignty or national security duties;

Assisting in search and rescue efforts;

Assisting with natural disasters such as forest fires and floods.

Canadian Rangers by the numbers:

Current number of Canadian Rangers: about 5,000

Canadian Rangers live in more than 200 communities;

Rangers speak 26 different languages and dialects, many Indigenous.

Canadian Ranger Patrol Groups (CRPGs)

The Canadian Rangers are divided into five Canadian Ranger Patrol Groups (CRPGs), each based in different remote, isolated and coastal communities across Canada.